John Wakeling at work in the Waitakaruru Arboretum.
The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum is in celebratory mode after winning two significant awards, one national and the other international.
The 17.5ha park in Tauwhare has attained a five-star rating from the New Zealand Gardens Trust as a Garden of National Significance, placing it among the country’s most outstanding gardens and acknowledging its excellence in design, plant collections, and its distinctive art-in-nature trail experience. Judges also recognised the significant transformation of the quarry over the past 34 years.
Dorothy and John Wakeling, who founded the Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum 34 years ago, are thrilled with the new awards.
In January, the park also received an international accreditation as an Arboretum of International Standing with grade two status, reflecting internationally recognised standards in tree conservation, collection management, education, and long- term stewardship.
That was awarded through the USA-based ArbNet, an international network dedicated to the interests of tree-focused professionals, founded in 2011 by The Morton Arboretum in Illinois, in collaboration with the American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International.
They described Waitakarururu Arboretum’s story as one of renewal … ‘a model of land rehabilitation, showing that even the most damaged landscapes can be restored to life and purpose’.
When Dorothy and John Wakeling developed The Sculpture Park and Arboretum from a disused quarry in Scotsman’s Valley Road 34 years ago, they made the best of its natural features to turn the space into an art-in-nature trail that displays more than 20,000 trees and shrubs from around the world. It is recognised both for its global biodiversity and as one of New Zealand’s largest outdoor galleries, attracting thousands of visitors annually, many of them international.
Sculptor Marcus Tatton and his partner Sharlene Broughton, toast the completion of the Portal Project last year with others at the Waitakaruru Arboretum’s Sculpture Park.
In 2020, a new charitable trust, the Art-in-Nature Arboretum Trust Board was established to recognise the park’s value and take it into the future. It manages the tree collection for carbon sequestration and global diversity, curates the sculpture collection, offers educational and creative opportunities and provides ongoing management of the site. The trust is owned by a stewardship foundation and supported by staff, volunteers, artists and visitors.
When the Wakelings spoke to The News last week, they said the double award honoured the dedication of those with a shared commitment to guardianship of the park, and marked an important milestone in the life of the arboretum.
“They recognise the evolution of what began as a vision for rehabilitating a damaged landscape into an accessible woodland park where imaginations are inspired, creative exploration encouraged and mental and physical health nurtured,” Dorothy said.
The Garden of National Significance award celebrates the arboretum’s contribution to New Zealand’s cultural and horticultural heritage, they said, while the international arboretum accreditation confirms its role within a global community committed to the preservation and celebration of trees.
The park, which is open year-round with its evolving landscape and sculpture collections, marked Waitangi Day last Friday with the usual trails and a special ‘Find the Ruru’ game for children.
John Wakeling at work in the Waitakaruru Arboretum.
